Spotify could launch a cheaper, ad-supported tier

After Google revealed a cheaper YouTube Premium Lite tier this week, it looks like Spotify is considering the same move. The music streaming service is now testing Spotify Plus, a new $0.99 subscription tier supported by ads.

The company confirmed in a statement for The Verge that it’s “currently conducting a test of an ad-supported subscription plan with a limited number of users.” The spokesperson went on to say that there’s no guarantee that the new tier will be launched in its current form.

Spotify Plus runs ads just like the free tier, but subscribers don’t have any limits when it comes to the number of tracks they can skip per hour. Furthermore, instead of being limited to shuffling within albums and playlists, subscribers can choose the songs they wish to listen to.

The new tier could be a great deal for those who can’t afford to pay the $9.99 monthly Spotify subscription, as the free tier has some annoying limitations. Apart from the fact that it features ads, Spotify Free only allows users to skip six tracks per hour.

Also, they can’t listen the songs they want and are limited to specific songs from 15 select playlists. Not to mention that Spotify Free users can only listen to shuffled songs. Spotify Plus is meant to remove all these limitations for just $1 per month, which feels quite appealing.